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Scripture Reading: Gen. 2:15; Ezek. 28:12-17; Isa. 14:12-15; Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-7, 22-24; Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor. 15:22
In the previous chapters we saw God’s plan and creation. In this chapter we will consider man’s fall. In order to understand man’s fall, we must first consider Satan, who tempted man and caused man to fall.
After creating man, God put Adam in the garden of Eden “to work it and to keep it” (Gen. 2:15). God commanded Adam not only to work the garden but also to keep it. In Hebrew the word keep means “to guard.” The fact that God commanded Adam to guard the garden of Eden shows that there was someone in the universe seeking to destroy God’s creation. If there were no one seeking to destroy God’s creation, God would not have commanded Adam to guard the garden. Thus, God commanded Adam to guard the garden because Satan was seeking to destroy God’s creation. Before man was created, Satan was in conflict with God and intent upon destroying God’s interest.
The Bible reveals that Satan was in conflict with God before man was created and before God restored the heavens and the earth (1:1-2; Ezek. 28:12-17). Satan rebelled against God and became the adversary of God. After God restored all things, He commanded Adam to guard the garden because Satan, as God’s enemy, was seeking to damage His restored creation.
According to Ezekiel 28, Satan was initially the anointed cherub; however, he sinned and rebelled against God. This occurred in the world that existed before man was created. Verses 13 through 16 of chapter 28 say, “You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering...The workmanship of your tambourines and your pipes was prepared with you on the day that you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covered the Ark; indeed I set you, so that you were upon the holy mountain of God...You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you. By the abundance of your trading they filled your midst with violence, and you sinned. So I cast you out as profane from the mountain of God.” Satan was initially the anointed cherub. As the anointed cherub, he was associated with God’s glory (v. 14; 9:3), and he was very close to God (1 Sam. 4:4). Satan was in the garden of God and upon the holy mountain of God; thus, he was very close to God (Ezek. 28:13-14). Satan was not only a cherub for God’s glory and very close to God; he also sealed up perfection, was full of wisdom, and was perfect in beauty (v. 12). Judging from the fact that the workmanship of tambourines and pipes was prepared with him on the day that he was created (v. 13), he must have been like a great king (cf. Dan. 3:5). He was “the anointed cherub who covered the Ark” (Ezek. 28:14). He was anointed to cover the Ark, that is, to guard and protect the interest of God.
Other portions in the Bible show that the world now is under Satan’s rule (Luke 4:5-6; Eph. 2:2; John 12:31). Satan must have been a ruler among the angels (Ezek. 28:13-14), an archangel with a high position (cf. Jude 9). Even though he was perfect in his ways, he sinned against God because his heart was lifted up by his beauty (Ezek. 28:15, 17-18). Isaiah 14:13-14 reveals that Satan’s sin was to uplift himself to be equal to God. Satan said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven; / Above the stars of God / I will exalt my throne. / And I will sit upon the mount of assembly / In the uttermost parts of the north. / I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; / I will make myself like the Most High.” Initially, he was for God’s glory, but he tried to usurp God’s glory. Satan was anointed to protect God’s interest, but he tried to usurp God’s place. Thus, he became God’s adversary. The Hebrew word for Satan means “adversary.”
After this anointed cherub rebelled against God and became Satan, God condemned him and cast him out from His holy mountain (Ezek. 28:16). Although Satan was condemned and cast out from God’s presence, the Bible reveals that God does not want to destroy Satan directly. God wants to deal with and destroy Satan through man. Although Satan was cast out from God’s presence, God allows him to exist while He gains man, who will destroy him.
God put Adam in front of the tree of life, which signifies the life of God, so that he would contact the tree of life in order to receive God’s life. God wants to give us His life, but Satan wants to give us death. This is the significance of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil being next to the tree of life (Gen. 2:8-9). The tree of life signifies God, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil signifies Satan. Satan has the might of death (Heb. 2:14); therefore, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brings death to man. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil reveals that in the universe there is not only God but also Satan. God gives life to man, but Satan gives death to man. It is possible for man to contact God and receive life, and it is also possible for man to contact Satan and receive death. When man contacts the tree of life, he contacts God, and the issue is life. When man contacts the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he contacts Satan, and the issue is death.
From man’s perspective the earth is the center of the universe, and the garden of Eden is the center of the earth. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were at the center of the garden. Hence, from the human perspective these two trees are the center of the universe. When God put Adam in front of these two trees, man’s future depended on how he dealt with these two trees. These two trees are at the center of the universe, and our relationship to these two trees is the central issue of the universe.
By standing in front of the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam was actually standing in front of God and Satan. The garden of Eden had three main features: the tree of life, which signifies God; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which signifies Satan; and Adam, who represents man. God, Satan, and man are the three main characters in the universe. God and Satan want to gain man. Whereas God wants to gain man in order to fulfill His purpose, Satan wants to gain man in order to fulfill his evil intention. Therefore, the central issue of the universe is whether man will stand on God’s side in order to be gained by God or on Satan’s side in order to be gained by Satan. If we stand on God’s side and are gained by Him, we will fulfill God’s purpose. However, if we stand on Satan’s side and are gained by him, we will serve Satan’s intention.
Although God wants us to stand on His side and to be gained by Him, He will not force us to choose Him, and although God does not want us to stand on Satan’s side or to be gained by Satan, He will not stop us from choosing Satan. God did not compel Adam to contact the tree of life, nor did He stop Adam from contacting the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God did not make the tree of life more accessible to Adam than the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Rather, God put Adam in front of the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and gave him the freedom to choose. God is the Creator, but He let Adam choose between Himself and Satan. This shows God’s greatness. God is so great that He will not force us to stand on His side. If we prefer God, we can freely choose Him, but if we prefer Satan, we are free to choose God’s adversary. God gives us the freedom to choose. He will never force us to choose His way.
God did not eliminate Satan from the universe in order to limit Adam’s choice to Himself, and He did not block the way to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, leaving only the tree of life for Adam to contact. Rather, God placed Adam before both the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Both God, as the tree of life, and Satan, as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, were before Adam. Hence, he could choose between the tree of life, signifying God, or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, signifying Satan. If Adam had chosen God, he would have received life, but he chose Satan and received death. God gave Adam the freedom to choose and to decide according to his own will.
Although God did not stop Adam from contacting the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He did command him to not eat of its fruit. Genesis 2:16-17 says, “Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Although God did not command Adam to eat the fruit of the tree of life, He warned him to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life occupies a central place in God’s heart, but He put the tree of life among all the other trees and said to Adam, “You may eat freely” (v. 16). This shows His greatness. God warned Adam to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil by saying that in the day that he ate of it he would surely die (v. 17). Knowing the consequences of eating the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God warned Adam. God’s prohibition was a warning to Adam to not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God commanded Adam to “guard” the garden, and He also warned Adam concerning the existence of the evil one.
Satan knew that God’s desire, pleasure, and purpose involved man and that the fulfillment of God’s plan was delegated to man. Thus, if God gained man, He would be able to carry out His plan through man. Satan also knew that God intended to deal with him through man. Thus, if Satan could gain man, he would be able to frustrate God’s plan. Satan knew that God intended for man to eat of the tree of life; therefore, before man could be gained by God, Satan came in to corrupt and usurp man. Before man could contact the tree of life and enter into a relationship with God, Satan tempted man to contact the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and to enter into a relationship with him instead. Satan, as God’s adversary, intended to disrupt God’s plan. Satan knew that if he could corrupt and usurp man, he would be able to frustrate God’s plan. Satan’s action to corrupt and usurp man was malicious in its intention.
On the one hand, God commanded man to guard the garden of Eden, and on the other hand, He warned man of the existence of the evil one and of his evil desire to corrupt and kill man (vv. 15-17). It is important to consider how the evil one corrupted and usurped man.
The evil one is very crafty. He concealed himself as a serpent (3:1). This serpent was not only subtle but also beautiful; it was attractive to man. Satan drew man’s attention to himself through the subtle and beautiful serpent.
When Satan usurped man, he not only appeared as a serpent, but he also approached the woman. Satan is very subtle and clever. He knew that it was easier to tempt the woman than the man, so he approached Eve, not Adam (vv. 1-2). Women are more easily deceived because they are the weaker vessel (1 Pet. 3:7). Hence, when Satan wanted to deceive man, he approached the woman instead of the man. Because Satan took this way, he was able to deceive man.
God said to man, “Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). When Satan asked the woman, “Did God really say, You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?” (3:1), his words caused man to doubt God’s word. The first step in Satan’s work is to cause us to doubt God and question God’s word. Dr. Haldeman said that when the serpent in the garden inquired, “Did God really say?” its posture was in the form of a question mark, with the head raised and the body bent. As long as Satan can put such a question into us, he will be able to deceive us.
God said, “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (2:17). Satan, however, said, “You shall not surely die!” (3:4). This was a lie to deceive man. Furthermore, he told the woman that God commanded man not to eat of the tree, because “God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil” (v. 5). Here again Satan was crafty with his words in order to deceive man. This is the reason that the Bible speaks of the serpent deceiving Eve by his craftiness (2 Cor. 11:3).
In Genesis 3:5 Satan said to Eve, “God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.” With these words the evil one not only slandered God and caused Eve to be suspicious toward God, but he also injected his pride into her so that she wanted to be equal to God. Satan rebelled against God because he wanted to uplift himself to be equal with God. In the garden he injected the same evil thought into Eve through his words so that man would join him in his rebellion against God.
Satan’s purpose in tempting man was to entice man to contact the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so that the life of that tree would enter into man. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil signifies Satan, and the life of this tree signifies the life of Satan. By tempting man to contact the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Satan was actually tempting man to contact himself. He wanted to put the life of this tree into man. His evil intention was to inject his evil, contradictory, and rebellious life into man. God desired that man would contact the tree of life in order to receive His life and be joined with Him, thus enabling God to gain man in order to fulfill His plan and destroy Satan. Satan wanted man to contact the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to receive his life and enter into an illicit union with him so that he could usurp man, fulfill his evil intention, and frustrate God’s plan. Before Adam was able to contact the tree of life, Satan tempted him to contact the tree of knowledge and receive the life of Satan, thus fulfilling Satan’s evil intention.
By usurping and corrupting the man whom God had created for His plan, Satan frustrated God’s plan. Usurping and corrupting Adam was the best way for Satan to enter into man, gain man, and have an illicit union with man. Satan tempted Adam to contact the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so that he might enter into man, gain man, and have an illicit union with man.
Man fell because he could not resist the temptation of the evil one. Although God commanded man to guard the garden, he failed and allowed God’s enemy to sneak in. Although God had warned man, he fell because he accepted the suggestion of the father of lies and was deceived (John 8:44). Man’s fall involved several steps.
When the subtle one went to the woman, she fell into his trap because she assumed the headship in dealing with him (Gen. 3:2-3, 6). The first step in man’s fall was the woman’s assuming the headship. This is a terrible thing. Even before the woman ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, she fell into the stratagem of the evil one by assuming the headship over the man. This was her mistake. As a result, she was deceived. Hence, the Bible says, “Adam was not deceived; but the woman, having been quite deceived, has fallen into transgression” (1 Tim. 2:14).
The second step in man’s fall was to talk with Satan. The best way to handle Satan’s questions is to ignore them. If we respond to his questions, we will surely be fooled. Satan asks questions in order to tempt us to talk with him. Eve was deceived by the serpent because she answered his question and talked with him (Gen. 3:2-3).
As a result of talking with the serpent, Eve received his word. A person’s words represent not only his intention but also his life and person. The Lord’s words are His life, and God’s word is God (John 6:63; 1:1). By receiving Satan’s word, Eve received not only his intention but also his life and person. When we receive the Lord’s word, we receive the Lord’s life and are joined to the Lord. Likewise, when we receive Satan’s word, we receive his life and are joined to him. Satan entered into man even before man ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan entered into man when Eve received his word. As soon as Eve received Satan’s word, his life entered into man, and man was illicitly united with Satan.
After entering into Eve, Satan’s word took control of her and caused her to look at and desire the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3:6). Eve received Satan’s word into her mind. This word controlled her, made her look at the tree, and caused her heart to delight in the tree. This put a desire within her to gain the knowledge of good and evil in order to be just like God. As a result, lust and pride rose up in her being.
When Eve was controlled by the serpent’s word to look at the tree of knowledge with her eyes and to desire it in her heart, she took its fruit with her hand and ate it (v. 6). Those who take in Satan’s word will be controlled by his word and will fulfill his proposals. Eve was not an exception. She took in Satan’s word and was controlled by his word. According to his proposal, she ate the fruit that God had commanded man not to eat.
Eve ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge and also gave it to her husband to eat (v. 6). This was the purpose of the evil one. Satan tempted Eve to eat the fruit of the tree so that her husband would eat the fruit. It was hard for Satan to deceive the man, but it was easier for him to gain man through the woman. Women are often the means through which men sin. When a wife sins, she often causes her husband to commit the same sin. Satan leads men into sin through women.
When Adam followed his wife to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he sinned and fell. Thus, Satan’s stratagem to deceive and usurp man was successful. As a result, man was one with Satan and entered into an illicit relationship and union with him. The man who was appointed by God to guard the garden of Eden was eventually stolen by God’s enemy.
Man’s sin and fall have consequences. The consequences of man’s fall are serious, tragic, and dreadful. The Bible reveals at least five consequences of man’s fall.
Although God commanded man not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man disobeyed God’s command. As a result, man became unlawful before God. Man was condemned by God because he had committed a sinful deed, and he now had a record of sin (Rom. 5:16, 18).
When man sinned by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he violated God’s command, and Satan and his life entered into man.
Man used his mind, emotion, and will to receive Satan’s word; hence, Satan’s word entered into every part of man’s soul. Words represent the intentions of a speaker and also the speaker’s life and person. When man received Satan’s word, man received Satan’s intention, life, and person. From that time, the three parts of man’s soul have been defiled by Satan.
When man ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the life of that tree entered into man’s body. The life of the tree of knowledge signifies the life of Satan; hence, the life of Satan entered into man’s body. This life became the “sin” that dwells in man (7:17, 20). This sin is also called “the evil” (v. 21), and it is the law of sin in our members (v. 23).
To eat is to receive something into our being. When Adam sinned, he not only did something unlawful; he also took something evil into his being. When he ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the life of Satan entered into him. The most critical point in man’s fall is that Satan’s evil life entered into man.
Man received this evil life in such a way that it became his own element. By eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man was joined to this life. Thus, Satan and man were united. When man fell, Satan entered into man and was joined with man. As a result, fallen man has Satan’s life, and Satan is in man.
Man was created pure and clean. After man fell, he was no longer pure and clean. Instead, he was defiled by Satan because he had Satan’s life. As a result, man’s body was transmuted, mixed, and filthy.
On the one hand, when man sinned by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he violated God’s law and established a record of sin. This was outward. On the other hand, when man sinned by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Satan’s evil life and nature entered into man. As a result, man has a sinful nature and has been constituted a sinner (5:19). This is inward. With regard to God’s law, man has a record of sin and thus stands condemned before God. With regard to man’s condition, man possesses the nature of sin and has the tendency to sin. Hence, man commits sinful deeds outwardly and has a sinful life and nature inwardly. There is an objective consequence to man’s fall and also a subjective consequence. Objectively, man is under God’s condemnation as a result of his sinful act. Subjectively, man continues to sin as a result of his sinful life and nature.
For example, I may tell a brother not to pour black ink into a cup of plain water. But if, out of curiosity, he pours the ink into the water, he will violate my command. However, by pouring black ink into a cup of plain water, he also will change the plain water into black water. This example can be applied to man. First, man violated God’s command, and second, something “black”—Satan’s sinful life—was added into his pure and clean being, transmuting his nature from white to black.
God created man as a clean vessel for His life, but before God could put His holy life into this clean vessel, man was tempted by Satan and received Satan’s filthy life. As a result, man not only offended God outwardly but also became corrupted inwardly.
Satan’s purpose in tempting man to sin was not only to make man sin against God outwardly but also to corrupt and defile man inwardly. By causing man to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Satan injected his sinful, filthy life into man. This sinful, filthy life includes all the dark elements that are against God. This can be likened to poison being added to a cup of clean, pure water before vitamins can be added. God created man in a pure condition so that He could mingle His life with man. But before God could be mingled with man, His enemy injected his poisonous life into man. Man was tempted and ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man’s inward, subjective problem is as serious as his outward, objective problem. The inward, subjective consequence is as serious as his outward, objective consequence.
Before the fall man had only the human life, but after the fall his human life was mixed with Satan’s life. People commit sinful acts, such as fornicating, gambling, smoking, hating, murdering, coveting, and stealing, because our human life is mixed with Satan’s life, which is “the sin” within us. These sinful acts are not committed merely by our human life. These sinful deeds are the result of indwelling sin; Satan’s life stirs, directs, and compels people to commit sin (7:17, 20). The consequence of man’s fall is that Satan’s evil life is now in us as indwelling sin.
God commanded man, “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). The result of eating the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is that man has a record of sin before God, a nature of sin, and death (Rom. 5:12).
The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is death. This is seen first with the deadening of man’s spirit, then the death of man’s body, then the suffering of man’s soul in Hades, and finally the second death of man’s spirit, soul, and body (Rev. 20:14; 21:8). When Adam ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, his spirit was immediately deadened toward God (Eph. 2:1), and later his body also died (Gen. 5:5). Furthermore, if a person is not saved, his soul will be tormented in Hades after he dies (Luke 16:23), and his whole being will suffer the second death in the future.
Before man fell, his spirit was not deadened, and he had the capacity to fellowship with God and understand the things of God. After man fell, his spirit was deadened and lost its function of fellowshipping with God and of understanding the things of God. As soon as sin entered into man, his spirit was deadened even though his body was still alive. Outwardly, a person may appear to be living, but inwardly, he is dead (Matt. 8:22). Then in due time his body will die. If he is not saved, his soul will be tormented in Hades, and eventually his entire being will suffer the second death (Heb. 9:27; Luke 16:23; Rev. 20:14; 21:8). This is truly a serious and dreadful consequence!
The Bible says that the wages of sin is death and that through sin, death entered the world (Rom. 6:23; 5:12). Death follows sin. Wherever there is sin, there is death. Man has sin and therefore cannot escape death. The Bible also says, “Sin reigned in death” (v. 21). This means that sin causes man to die. Sin has entered into man and reigns in man. Death now reigns over man.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil involves evil, death, and the knowledge of good and evil. Hence, when man ate the fruit of this tree, he received death and a knowledge of good and evil. On the one hand, his spirit was deadened and lost its function of understanding the things of God. On the other hand, his eyes were opened to know good and evil. Prior to the fall man was able to understand the things of God even though he did not have a knowledge of good and evil. But after man fell, his spirit was deadened and lost its function of understanding the things of God. Instead, man acquired the knowledge of good and evil.
Initially, man lived by his spirit before God, was governed by God, and did not have the problem of good and evil. When man ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, his spirit was deadened toward God, and he could no longer be governed by God. Instead, the knowledge of good and evil entered into man to control him. As a result, man lives by the knowledge of good and evil and is accountable to the knowledge of good and evil. Man no longer lives by his spirit, and neither is he accountable to God alone. Man lives according to good and evil instead of living according to God. Man knows about good and evil, but he is not able to understand God.
Even though man has acquired the knowledge of good and evil and is able to know good and evil, he cannot refuse evil and do good. The knowledge of good and evil caused man’s spirit to die. Instead of enabling man to refuse evil and do good, sin causes man to do the evil that he does not desire to do (7:19). Before man fell, he did not know good and evil, but he still lived out good; now that man knows good and evil, he does evil instead of good because of sin. Those who know good and evil still commit many evils. The more knowledge man has concerning good and evil, the more capable he is of doing evil. The knowledge of good and evil is actually evil. The knowledge of good and evil cannot prevent man from living in evil and doing evil.
As a result of the fall, man was cast out of the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:22-24). Eden is the dwelling place of God. To be cast out of Eden is to be cast out of God’s presence. The holy and righteous God cannot allow filthy sinners to live in His presence. God created man so that man would live in His presence and fellowship with Him. As a result of man’s sin and fall, God cast man out of the garden, His presence, and man could not fellowship with God.
When Adam sinned and fell in the garden of Eden, all mankind was included. Because Adam was the first man, he represents mankind and is the head of mankind. Therefore, when Adam sinned, all mankind, including those who were living and those who were not yet born, was affected by his sin. When he sinned, all mankind, which he represented, sinned. His sin was the sin of mankind. This is the reason Romans 5:18 speaks of one offense being unto condemnation to all men.
Adam is the forefather of all mankind. Hence, when he sinned, all his descendants were involved in his sin (cf. Heb. 7:9-10). His sin involved all mankind. When sin entered into Adam and constituted him a sinner, sin entered into mankind and constituted all men sinners. Hence, Romans 5:19 says, “Through the disobedience of one man the many were constituted sinners,” and verse 12 says, “Through one man sin entered into the world.”
The fall of Adam was the fall of mankind. We all participated in Adam’s fall. In him we fell together with him. We fell before we were even born. We did not need to wait until we committed a sin to become sinners. We were born sinners because we sinned in Adam. In Adam we sinned, and we were constituted sinners before we were born. We were born fallen sinners.
A brother once said that he had been a sinner for more than forty years, because he was in his forties. He also said that he committed his first sin in Shansi, because that is where he grew up. I told him that although I was only in my forties, I had been a sinner for six thousand years and that I committed my first sin in the garden of Eden. This is the truth. Nearly six thousand years ago we sinned in Adam in the garden of Eden. When Adam sinned six thousand years ago, we sinned, and when Adam sinned in the garden of Eden, we sinned. Adam’s sinful act was our sinful act because we were all in Adam.
Since Adam’s fall is our fall, the consequences of his fall are also ours. As the descendants of Adam, we all participate in the five consequences of Adam’s fall.
Before we were born, we were condemned (John 3:18). Our condemnation is not based on a particular sin that we committed. We were condemned in Adam even before we were born. Such a condemnation is the result of Adam’s one offense (Rom. 5:17-18).
We were born sinners with a sinful nature because we were born, came out, of Adam, who had a sinful nature. Let us return to the example of ink and plain water. If I pour the black water into many small cups, the water in each cup will still be black. We do not need to pour black ink into every small cup. The large cup that contains black water can be likened to Adam, and the small cups with water can be likened to the descendants of Adam. Adam had a sinful nature, and the billions of people that came out of him have the same sinful nature. We are just like Adam. We are exactly the same as he, because we came out of him. Hence, no person in the world is without sin. Every person has the sinful nature. No one is without sin; no one is pure. We were born sinners with a sinful nature; hence, we are capable of sinning.
We were born dead, because our spirit was deadened. Although we were born with a human spirit, it was deadened. It lost its function, so we could not understand the things of God or fellowship with Him. For example, the ears of a deaf person have lost their function and cannot hear sounds, and the eyes of a blind person have lost their function and cannot see colors. We could not understand the things of God or know God, because our spirit was deadened. When our spirit was deadened, our body also lost its sustaining power, and as a result, our body gradually becomes weak, old, and sick and eventually dies. If a person who is not saved dies, his soul will be tormented in Hades. Eventually, his entire being will suffer the second death. Strictly speaking, after we were born, we have been dying every day, not living. Through Adam’s fall we are in the place of death. Hence, the Bible says, “By the offense of the one the many died,” “by the offense of the one, death reigned,” and “in Adam all die” (vv. 15, 17; 1 Cor. 15:22).
We were born with the knowledge of good and evil. Regardless of whether a person is civilized or a barbarian, he is born with the knowledge of good and evil and the ability to discern right from wrong. This knowledge proves that all mankind has participated in Adam’s fall and in the consequences of Adam’s fall. The knowledge of good and evil entered into mankind through Adam’s fall. Adam passed down to his descendants not only sin and death but also the knowledge of good and evil. The knowledge of good and evil causes man’s spirit to be independent from God. People are controlled by the knowledge of good and evil instead of by God. They are accountable to the knowledge of good and evil instead of to God. They seem to know good and evil but not God. People pay attention to good and evil and to right and wrong, but they do not have the power to refuse evil or to do good, nor do they pay attention to God. As a result, they commit sins and do evil. People live by the knowledge of good and evil because they are fallen.
We were born far from God (Eph. 2:12-13). We were born after Adam was cast out of the garden of Eden, and we were born outside of the garden of Eden. When Adam was cast out of the garden of Eden, his descendants, who were included in him, were also cast out of the garden of Eden. None of Adam’s descendants were born in the garden of Eden. Before we were born, we were already cast out of Eden, out of God’s presence. We were born outside of God’s presence and far from God.
After Adam ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God closed the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:22 says, “Lest he put forth his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat and live forever.” This indicates that Adam had not yet eaten the fruit of the tree of life and that God did not want fallen man with his evil nature to eat the fruit of the tree of life. God’s original intention was for man to eat the fruit of the tree of life in order to gain the eternal life of God, but man received Satan’s evil life and nature by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Hence, God did not want man to eat the fruit of the tree of life without dealing with his evil nature. If man ate of the tree of life, he would live forever with this evil nature. Closing the way to the tree of life was not an ill intent on God’s part; it was a good intention toward man until He could deal with man’s evil nature through the cross of Christ.
God placed “the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life” (v. 24). The cherubim signify God’s glory (Ezek. 9:3; 10:4; Heb. 9:5), and the flame signifies God’s holiness. God must burn anything that does not match His holy nature (Deut. 4:24; 9:3; Heb. 12:29). The sword indicates God’s righteousness. God cannot pardon anything that does not match His righteousness (Lam. 3:42-43; Rom. 2:5; 2 Thes. 1:5-6; Rev. 19:2, 11). After man sinned, the way to the tree of life was closed due to God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory. God’s intention was for man to contact the tree of life and receive the life of God, but because of his sin, man violated God’s righteousness, contradicted God’s holiness, and fell short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). Therefore, God used His righteousness, holiness, and glory to close the way to the tree of life, thus preventing man from receiving His righteous, holy, and glorious life. In order for the way to the tree of life to be opened, God’s righteousness must be satisfied, His holiness must be matched, and His glory must be manifested. The way to the tree of life remained closed until the Lord Jesus accomplished redemption. When the Lord Jesus accomplished redemption, He satisfied God’s righteousness, matched God’s holiness, and manifested God’s glory. This opened the way to the tree of life.
The tree of life signifies God. Therefore, when the way to the tree of life was closed, the way to God was closed. Although God desired to contact man, His righteousness, holiness, and glory prevented sinful man from contacting Him. This was clearly portrayed when the children of Israel received God’s law at Mount Sinai. The children of Israel were in fear of contacting God at Mount Sinai because of His righteousness, holiness, and glory (Exo. 19:20-24). The way that leads to the righteous, holy, and glorious God was closed until the Lord Jesus came and shed His blood to accomplish redemption. Only then was a way opened for man to approach God (Heb. 10:19-20; Matt. 27:50-51).
